Querencia Hotel

The hotel is a good budget option at 600 for two people overnight, with a fan room and no air conditioning. There’s a restaurant on the second floor, Wi-Fi, okay water pressure, and polite, accommodating staff. The room is basic, with a chair, table, comfortable Baguio blanket, and towels. The bathroom is basic too, but has a hot and cold shower. The location is central, near the market, terminals, tourism office, and canteens. A couple of downsides: there’s no parking, so we had to leave the car in front of the market. There’s no generator, and we had a brownout during our stay. There wasn’t an electric fan inside our room either, so bring a mini fan, though the temperature was cool anyway. Wi-Fi sometimes dropped to a very weak signal or none at all. Thanks for a safe and memorable stay in Banawe, Ifugao. We’ll come back.

The hotel’s biggest advantage is its location, close to both the Tourism office and bus stops. My single room was clean but small, with just enough space for a double bed and a little desk. When the power went out, the emergency lights switched on automatically. The Wi-Fi signal stayed strong despite the surrounding mountains.

Querencia’s best points were the staff, location, and flexibility. They let us check in very early because the room was already free, and they also arranged a 5am checkout when we asked so we could catch the bus to Sagada. The area felt safe, with the police department close by, plenty of eateries, and a good bakery downstairs at the street corner. Their food is affordable and portions are generous. We liked the garlicky garlic longanisa, though the corned beef was too salty for me, and the brewed coffee was good. The rooms are cheap, under P800 ($15 USD) a night for two, and were the least expensive around when we stayed, though prices can change by season. You get a basic bed and toiletries, which suited us since we spent more time touring Banaue than sleeping. There’s no view or extra frills. The rooms are small, cramped, and humid, with thin walls, so you can hear people in the next room and the hallway/mess hall. The blanket was too thin for chilly nights, but we brought our own fleece. The hot shower works once you switch the breaker. For us, the low price made the subpar room workable.

As a budget traveler, I was completely satisfied with my stay. It was clean, affordable, and the owner was kind. Rates start at 250 per head, and they even let me check out in the evening. Every room has its own bathroom and a hot shower, and there’s free Wi-Fi. The food is cheaper than at other Banaue restaurants, and the place is near the jeepney and bus station.